Electrical connectors with insulation piercing contacts

ABSTRACT

Electrical connectors in which parallel legs of a metal contact cut through the insulation of wires therebetween into contact with the wire conductors. In one type of construction, the contact is carried between arms of an insulating support which is inserted into a passage of a receptacle having a slot into which a wire is inserted, one plug arm being projected beyond a contact leg to hold the wire in the slot prior to engagement by the contact. The arms have different cross-sectional configurations for polarization, the support member has an enlarged head portion to prevent movement beyond an operative position and one arm is formed with snap lock means for locking engagement with an outturned terminal end of a contact leg. In another type of construction, the contact has an additional pair of legs outside the wire-engaging legs for sliding engagement in the receptacle passage, no insulation support member being provided.

Oct. 7, 1975 ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS wirii INSULATION PIERCING CONTACTS Inventors: Tedford H. Spaulding, Norridge;

Carl Occhipinti, Melrose Park, both of III.

The Bunker Ramo Corporation, Oak Brook, Ill.

Filed: Jan. 2, 1974 Appl. No.: 429,614

Assignee:

U.S. Cl. 339/97 R; 339/98 1m. Cu HOIR 9/08 Field of Search 339/95 R, 97 R',,97 P, 98,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant ExaminerE. F. Desmond Attorney, Agent, or FirmNorton Lesser; F. M. Arbuckle [57] ABSTRACT Electrical connectors in which parallel legs of a metal contact cut through the insulation of wires therebetween into contact with the wire conductors. In one type of construction, the contact is carried between arms of an insulating support which is inserted into a passage of a receptacle having a slot into which a wire is inserted, one plug arm being projected beyond a contact leg to hold the wire in the slot prior to engagement by the contact. The arms have different crosssectional configurations for polarization, the support member has an enlarged head portion to prevent movement beyond an operativeposition and one arm is formed with snap lock means for locking engagement with an out-turned terminal end of a contact leg. In another type of construction, the contact has an additional pair of legs outside the wire-engaging legs for sliding engagement in the receptacle passage, no insulation support member being provided.

13 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS WITH INSULATION PIERCING CONTACTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to electrical connectors in which wires are readily interconnected without soldering. The connectors of this invention are inexpensive in construction, easy to operate and highly reliable.

Connectors have heretofore been proposed in which a contact member has spaced generally parallel leg portions for receiving an insulated wire therebetween, the leg portions being effective to cut through wire insulation into electrical contact with the wire conductor. Constructions as heretofore proposed have not provided the firm support for the leg portions necessary to establish a permanent reliable connection. In addition, such constructions have generally been expensive, often being designed for connecting a substantial number of wires, and they have not been adaptable to making a simple connection between a pair of wires. A particular problem has been the making of a tap connec tion to a point on a wire intermediate the ends of it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one type of construction according to the invention, plug means are provided including a metal contact member, the plug means being slidable in one direction in a passage of a receptacle member toward an operative position in which the contact member engages a wire positioned in a slot extending from one side of the receptacle to the passage therein. An important feature is in the provision of projection means operative during movement of the plug means to initially close an outer portion of the slot to hold the wire positioned in the inner end of the slot after which the wire is operatively engaged by the contact member. This arrangement is especially advantageous in making a tap connection to an intermediate portion of a wire positioned in the slot, the projection means insuring that the wire is correctly positioned in the slot prior to operative engagement by the contact member.

Preferably the receptacle also has an opening for receiving and positioning a wire en'd for engagement by the contact member so that, for example, a tap connection may be made between the end of one wire and an intermediate point on another.

The contact member preferably includes a pair of apaced aligned generally parallel leg portions supported on their outsides by a pair of arms of an insulating support member, one of the arms extending beyond the end of the associated contact member leg to define the projection means.

Another important feature is that the plug and passage means have mating assymetrical cross-sectional configurations permitting insertion of the plug means only in the proper orientation. Preferably, one arm of the support member is larger than the other or otherwise has a different cross-sectional configuration.

A further feature is in the provision of snap-lock means between a support member arm and one contact member leg, to retain the contact in position.

Still another feature is in the provision of an enlarged head portion on the plug means serving to prevent movement of the contact member beyond its operating position.

In another type of construction the plug means does not include an insulating support member, and instead, the metal contact member is formed with an additional pair of legs which are turned back on the outside of the wire-engaging legs, the additional pair of legs being slidably engagable with inner surface portions of the receptacle passage means to guide the plug means and to resiliently urge the wire-engaging legs into firm engagement with the conductors of wires.

This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages which will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to the invention, showing a tap connection of the end of one wire to an intermediate point on another;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a receptacle part of the connector, taken substantially along line lI-Il of FIG. 1; I F

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a plug part of the connector, taken in substantially the same plane as the sectional view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the receptacle taken substantially along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the'plug;

FIG. 6 is an elevational end view of the receptacle, looking from along line VI-VI'of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the plug, taken substantially along line VIlVll of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating a modified form of receptacle;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3, but illus trating a modified form of plug usable with the modified form of receptacle shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of another type of con nector according to the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially along XlXl of FIG. 10.

Reference numeral 10 generally designates an electrical connector constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, shown connecting an intermediate point of one wire 11 to the end portion of another wire 12. The connector 10 comprises a receptacle unit 13, preferably of plastic or other insulating material and of generally rectangular shape, having a longitudinal passage 14 therethrough, having a slot 15 extending from one side thereof (the top side as illustrated) to a lower inner end intersecting the passage 14 at an intermediate point and having an opening 16 in another side wall to intersect the passage 14 between the slot 15 and the illustrated right end of the unit 13. Slot 15 receives the wire 11 and the lower end thereof is preferably elongated to the left as indicated by reference numeral 15a.

A plug unit 18 is provided which includes a metal contact member 20 having a pair of spaced generally parallel leg portions 21 and 22, which have out-turned terminal ends 23 and 24, and having a bight portion 25 interconnecting base ends of the leg portions 21 and 22.

Plug unit 18 also includes a support member 26, preferably of plastic or other insulating material, having a pair of arm portions 27 and 28 projecting from a base portion 29 and extending along the outsides of the contact member leg portions 21 and 22.

With the plug unit 18 out of the receptacle 13, an intermediate portion of the wire 11 is inserted into the slot 15 and the end of the wire 12 is inserted into the opening 16. The plug unit 18 is then inserted into the right end of the receptacle passage 14 and moved to the left. The wires 11 and 12 are engaged between the contact member leg portions 21 and 22 which have square cross-sections with sharp edges and which cut through the wire insulation and into the wire conductors with a pressure engagement providing a highly reliable electrical connection.

A very important feature is that the terminal end of the arm portion 27 of the support member 26 projects a substantial distance beyond the end of the leg portion 21 of contact member such that when the plug unit 18 is inserted into the passage 14 and moved to the left, the terminal end of the arm portion 27 initially closes an upper or outer portion of the slot 15, i.e. a portion of the slot spacedoutwardly from the inner portion in which the wire is disposed, to hold a wire in the inner or lower end of the slot. With further movement of the plug unit 18 to the left, the wire in the slot 15 is en gaged between the leg portions 21 and 22 of the contact member 20.

Another feature is that the receptacle passage 14 and the plug unit 18 have mating asymmetrical crosssectional configurations permitting insertion of the plug unit only in the proper position, such that the projecting terminal end of the arm portion 27 will initially move across the slot to hold a wire therein before engagement by the contact member 20. In particular, the vertical thickness of the arm portion 27 is substantially greater than that of the arm portion 28 and the receptacle 13 is formed with portions 31 and 32 projecting inwardly from opposite side walls to provide upper and lower channels which receive the arm portions 27 and 28, the vertical dimensions of such upper and lower channels being only slightly greater than the respective vertical dimensions of the arm portions 27 and 28, for a sliding fit.

As shown in FIG. 4, the opening 16 is in one wall of the receptacle 13 and the opposite wall has an aligned recess 33 therein, providing a thin wall portion 34 in the wall opposite the opening 16 and permitting insertion of the wire end for proper support thereof.

A further feature is in the provision of snap-lock means on the arm portion 27 of the support member 26 of the plug unit 18 for locking engagement with the out-turned portion 23 of the leg portion 21 of the contact member 20, to hold the contact member 20 in place. As shown in FIG. 5, the arm portion 27 is formed with a slot 36 extending longitudinally inwardly from the terminal end thereof, the slot 36 including an intermediate portion 37 dimensioned to receive the outturned terminal end 23, an outer portion 38 converging from a wide width at the terminal end, equal to or greater than the width of the out-turned terminal end 23 to a narrow width at the juncture with the intermediate portion 37, and an inner narrow width portion 39. In operation, the contact member is inserted from the left as viewed in FIG. 5, with the portionson opposite sides of the slot 36 being spread by cam action, the

inner narrow portion 39 facilitating flexure of such portions. When the out-turned terminal end 23 reaches the position as illustrated, the two portions on opposite sides of the slot 36 snap back to the illustrated position. It is noted that the support member 26 is provided with a recess in the base portion 29 thereof for receiving the bight portion 25 of the contact member 20.

The electrical connector 10 for establishing an electrical connection to wire 11 includes receptacle means 13 formed from an annularly shaped wall defining the peripheral boundary and opposite ends of a first passageway 14 with a longitudinal axis. The wall has a wire receiving slot means 15 extending through the wall and boundary transversely to the longitudinal axis of the first passageway to define a wire receiving path inter mediate the ends of said first passageway receiving the wire 1 l alongsaid path within the boundary of said first passageway. Plug means 18 of the connector include a metal contact member 20 having a forward portion for engagement with the wire 11 with a plug means being slidable in one direction in said first passageway 14 along said axis to a first predetermined position and thereafter past said wire receiving path to a second predetermined position to engage the forward portion of said contact with said wire 1 l and position said contact member in firm electrical engagement with said wire along said path within the boundary of said first passageway. Projection means 38 moved in response to movement of said plug means 18 in said first passage way in one direction along said axis to the first predetermined position closes the slot means 15 between the wire and boundary to hold the wire in said path and in said slot means whereafter the plug means is moved to said second predetermined position to engage said forward portion of said contact with said wire for enabling the firm electrical engagement of the wire by said contact member.

Another feature is in the provision means for limiting movement of the plug unit 18 to the left, to prevent movement beyond the operative position thereof. In particular, the support member 26 of the plug 18 is provided with a pair of transverse projections 41 and 42 at the right end thereof, providing in effect an enlarged head portion, of the receptacle unit 13 having a pair of recesses 43 and 44 for receiving the projections 41 and 42.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified connector 46 which has a construction like that of the connector 10, primed numbers indicating corresponding parts, except that the passage 14 of the receptacle 13 is tapered and except that the support member 26 has a corresponding taper, for the purpose of permitting insertion of the modified plug unit 18 only into the right end of the modified receptacle 13' while at the same time providing a construction in which the parts can be readily molded.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate another modified form of connector 48 including a receptacle unit 49 and a plug unit 50, shown connecting a pair of wires 51 and 52. In this modification, the plug unit does not include an insulating support member, but is in the form of a metal contact member having a first pair of spaced generally parallel aligned leg portions 53 and 54 interconnected at their base ends by a bight portion 55 and a second pair of leg portions 57 and 58 extending from the oppo site ends of the leg portions 53 and 54 back on the outside of the leg portions 53 and 54 in spaced generally parallel relation thereto. The outer leg portions 57 and 58 are slidably-engagable with inner surface portions of a passage 60 in the receptacle 49 which, as illustrated,

may include a pair of slots 61 and 62 extending from the top of the receptacle, the lower ends of the slots being so located as to position wires for engagement between the inner leg portions 53 and 54 of the contact member 50. As shown in FIG. 11, the leg portions 53 and 57 may be substantially longer than the leg portions 54 and 58 for the purpose of initially locking wires in the inner ends of the slots prior to firm electrical engagement of the wires between the inner leg portions 53 and 54.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts-of this invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to a wire, comprising:

receptacle means including an annularly shaped wall defining the peripheral boundary of a first passageway with a longitudinal axis, said wall having wire receiving slot means extending through said wall and boundary transversely to said axis of said first passageway to define a wire receiving path intermediate the ends of said first passageway and re ceiving said wire along said path within the boundary of said first passageway,

plug means including a metal contact member having a forward portion for engagement with said wire, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said first passageway along said axis to a first predetermined position and thereafter past said wire receiving path to a second predetermined position to engage the forward portion of said contact with said wire and position said contact memberin firm electrical engagement with said wire within the boundary of said first passageway,

and means including projection means moved in response to movement of said plug means in said first passageway in one direction along said axis to said first predetermined position to close said slot means between said wire in said first passageway and'said wall to hold the wire in said passageway whereafter said plug means is moved to said second predetermined position to engage said forward por tion of said contact with said wire for enabling the firm electrical engagement of the wire by said contact member.

2. In the electrical connector claimed in claim 1, a second passageway in said wall for insertion of the end of a second wire in position to be engaged by said contact member during movement of said plug means toward said operative position to electrically connect the second wire to the wire positioned in said slot means.

3. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, in which said first passageway is open at one end for insertion of said plug means therein, and said first passageway has mating asymmetrical cross-sectional configurations permitting insertion of said plug means into said first passageway only in a position in which said projection means closes said slot means during movement of said plug means toward said second predetermined position.

4. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, in which said contact member has a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace wires therebetween and to cut through wire insulation into engagement with said wire, and said plug means includes a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outside of said contact member leg portions.

5. An electrical connector as defined in claim 4, in which one of said pair of arm portions projects beyond the end of the adjacent contact member leg portion to define said projection means.

6. An electrical connector as defined in claim 5, said arm portions of said support member having different cross-sectional configurations and said passage means of said receptacle means having two portions of different cross-sectional configurations for mating engagement with said arm portions of said support member.

7. An electrical connector as defined in claim 4, said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member.

8. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to an insulated wire, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having wire-receiving slot means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means, plug means including a metal contact member,

said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with a wire positioned in the inner end of said slot means, said plug means including projection means operative during movement of said plug means in one direction to initially close an outer portion of said slot means and to hold the wire in said inner end of said slot means prior to firm electrical engagement of the wire by said contact member,

said contact member having a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace said wire therebetween and to cut through wire insulation on said wire into engagement with said wire, said plug means including a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outside of said contact member said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member, said snap-lock means including a slot in said one of 'said support member arm portions extending longitudinally inwardly from the terminal end thereof, said slot including an intermediate portion dimensioned to receive said out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion, and an outer portion converging from a wide width at the terminal end of said arm portion to a narrow width at said intermediate portion and an inner narrow width portion permitting flexure of the parts of said arm portion on opposite sides of said slot. 9. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to an insulated wire, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having opening means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means for positioning said wire in said passage means, and plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with said wire positioned in said passage means, means movable with said plug means in said passage means for closing said one side of said opening in response to said plug member moving to a first predetermined position in said passage means, said contact member having a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace said wire therebetween and to cut through the insulation on said wire into engagement with said wire in response to the movement of said plug means past said first predetermined position to a second predetermined position, said plug means further including a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outside of said contact member leg portions, said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, and one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member.

10. An electrical connector as defined in claim 9 in which said passage means being opened at one end for insertion at one end of said plug means therein, and said passage means includes stop means for limiting movement of said plug means in said one direction to prevent movement of said plug means past said second predetermined position, said stop means comprising an enlarged head portion on the opposite end of said plug means.

11. An electrical connector, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having opening means extending from-one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means, and plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with a wire positioned in said opening, said contact member having a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace wires therebetween and to cut through wire insulation into engagement with wire conductors, said plug means further including a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outisde of said contact member leg portions, said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, and one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member,

said snap-lock means including a slot in said one of said support member arm portions extending longitudinally inwardly from the terminal end thereof, said slot including an intermediate portion dimensioned to receive said out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion, an outer portion converging from a wide width at the terminal end of said arm portion to a narrow width at said intermediate portion and an inner narrow width portion permitting flexure of the parts of said arm portion on opposite sides of said slot.

12. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to a wire, comprising:

receptacle means including an annularly shaped wall defining the peripheral boundry and end of a first passageway having a longitudinal axis, a wire receiving passageway in said wall extending from said peripheral boundry transversely to said axis to define a wire receiving path intermediate the ends and boundary of said first passageway and receiving said wire along said path within the boundary of said first passageway,

plug means,

a metal contact member carried by said plug means, said plug means being slidable in one direction along said axis in said first passageway after said wire is received in said wire receiving passageway and along said wire receiving path to a first predetermined position and past said wire in said wire receiving path to a second predetermined position for electrically engaging said contact member with said wire positioned along said path in said wire receiving passageway, said contact member having a first pair of spaced generally parallel aligned intermediate leg portions for receiving said wire therebetween,

a bight portion interconnecting one end of each of said leg portions, and a second leg portion for each intermediate leg portion extending from the end of each of said aligned intermediate leg portions opposite the respective one end in radially outwardly spaced generally parallel relation thereto, each said second leg portion slidably engagable with the inner surface portions of said receptacle wall definingsaid first passageway to guide said plug means and resiliently urge said first pair of leg portions into firm engagement with said wire in said wire receiving path.

13. An electrical connector, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having wirereceiving opening means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means, and plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with a wire positioned in said opening means, said plug means being tapered and said passage means being opened at both ends and having a taper complimentary to said plug means taper for insertion of said plug means only into one end thereof. 

1. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to a wire, comprising: receptacle means including an annularly shaped wall defining the peripheral boundary of a first passageway with a longitudinal axis, said wall having wire receiving slot means extending through said wall and boundary transversely to said axis of said first passageway to define a wire receiving path intermediate the ends of said first passageway and receiving said wire along said path within the boundary of said first passageway, plug means including a metal contact member having a forward portion for engagement with said wire, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said first passageway along said axis to a first predetermined position and thereafter past said wire receiving path to a second predetermined position to engage the forward portion of said contact with said wire and position said contact member in firm electrical engagement with said wire within the boundary of said first passageway, and means including projection means moved in response to movement of said plug means in said first passageway in one direction along said axis to said first predetermined position to close said slot means between said wire in said first passageway and said wall to hold the wire in said passageway whereafter said plug means is moved to said second predetermined position to engage said forward portion of said contact with said wire for enabling the firm electrical engagement of the wire by said contact member.
 2. In the electrical connector claimed in claim 1, a second passageway in said wall for insertion of the end of a second wire in position to be engaged by said contact member during movement of said plug means toward said operative position to electrically connect the second wire to the wire positioned in said slot means.
 3. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, in which said first passageway is open at one end for insertion of said plug means therein, and said first passageway has mating asymmetrical cross-sectional configurations permitting insertion of said plug means into said first passageway only in a position in which said projection means closes said slot means during movement of said plug means toward said second predetermined position.
 4. An electrical connector as defined in claim 1, in which said contact member has a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace wires therebetween and to cut through wire insulation into engagement with said wire, and said plug means includes a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outside of said contact member leg portions.
 5. An electrical connector as defined in claim 4, in which one of said pair of arm portions projects beyond the end of the adjacent contact member leg portion to define said projection means.
 6. An electrical connector as defined in claim 5, said arm portions of said support member having different cross-sectional configurations and said passage means of said receptacle means having two portions of different cross-sectional configurations for mating engagement with said arm portions of said support member.
 7. An electrical connector as defined in claim 4, said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member.
 8. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to an insulated wire, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having wire-receiving slot means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means, plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with a wire positioned in the inner end of said slot means, said plug means including projection means operative during movement of said plug means in one direction to initially close an outer portion of said slot means and to hold the wire in said inner end of said slot means prior to firm electrical engagement of the wire by said contact member, said contact member having a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace said wire therebetween and to cut through wire insulation on said wire into engagement with said wire, said plug means including a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outside of said contact member said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member, said snap-lock means including a slot in said one of said support member arm portions extending longitudinally inwardly from the terminal end thereof, said slot including an intermediate portion dimensioned to receive said out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion, and an outer portion converging from a wide width at the terminal end of said arm portion to a narrow width at said intermediate portion and an inner narrow width portion permitting flexure of the parts of said arm portion on opposite sides of said slot.
 9. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to an insulated wire, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having opening means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means for positioning said wire in said passage means, and plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with said wire positioned in said passage means, means movable with said plug means in said passage means for closing said one side of said opening in response to said plug member moving to a first predetermined position in said passage means, said contact member having a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace said wire therebetween and to cut through the insulation on said wire into engagement with said wire in response to the movement of said plug means past said first predetermined position to a second predetermined position, said plug means further including a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outside of said contact member leg portions, said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, and one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member.
 10. An electrical connector as defined in claim 9 in which said passage means being opened at one end for insertion at one end of said plug means therein, and said passage means includes stop means for limiting movement of said plug means in said one direction to prevent movement of said plug means past said second predetermined position, said stop means comprising an enlarged head portion on the opposite end of said plug means.
 11. An electrical connector, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having opening means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means, and plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with a wire positioned in said opening, said contact member having a pair of spaced parallel aligned leg portions and a bight portion interconnecting base ends of said leg portions, said leg portions being adapted to embrace wires therebetween and to cut through wire insulation into engagement with wire conductors, said plug means further including a support member of insulating material having a pair of arm portions extending along the outisde of said contact member leg portions, said contact member leg portions having out-turned terminal ends, and one of said support member arm portions having snap-lock means for engaging the out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion to hold said contact member in said support member, said snap-lock means including a slot in said one of said support member arm portions extending longitudinally inwardly from the terminal end thereof, said slot including an intermediate portion dimensioned to receive said out-turned terminal end of said adjacent contact member leg portion, an outer portion converging from a wide width at the terminal end of said arm portion to a narrow width at said intermediate portion and an inner narrow width portion permitting flexure of the parts of said arm portion on opposite sides of said slot.
 12. An electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection to a wire, comprising: receptacle means including an annularly shaped wall defining the peripheral boundry and end of a first passageway having a longitudinal axis, a wire receiving passageway in said wall extending from said peripheral boundry transversely to said axis to define a wire receiving path intermediate the ends and boundary of said first passageway and receiving said wire along said path within the boundary of said first passageway, plug means, a metal contact member carried by said plug means, said plug means being slidable in one direction along said axis in said first passageway after said wire is received in said wire receiving passageway and along said wire receiving path to a first predetermined position and past said wire in said wire receiving path to a second predetermined position for electrically engaging said contact member with said wire positioned along said path in said wire receiving passageway, said contact member having a first pair of spaced generally parallel aligned intermediate leg portions for receiving said wire therebetween, a bight portion interconnecting one end of each of said leg portions, and a second leg portion for each intermediate leg portion extending from the end of each of said aligned intermediate leg portions opposite the respective one end in radially outwardly spaced generally parallel relation thereto, each said second leg portion slidably engagable with the inner surface portions of said receptacle wall defining said first passageway to guide said plug means and resiliently urge said first pair of leg portions into firm engagement with said wire in said wire receiving path.
 13. An electrical connector, comprising: receptacle means having passage means therein and having wire-receiving opening means extending from one side thereof to an inner end intersecting an intermediate point of said passage means, and plug means including a metal contact member, said plug means being slidable in one direction in said passage means toward an operative position in which said contact member is in firm electrical engagement with a wire positioned in said opening means, said plug means being tapered and said passage means being opened at both ends and having a taper complimentary to said plug means taper for insertion of said plug means only into one end thereof. 